1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a turntable structure, and more particularly to a motor-driven turntable for use in the support and display of goods wherein the turning plate may be rotated automatically or manually; and, wherein automatic rotation may be manually impeded without detrimental effect on the driving motor, even if such driving motor remains operating during the period of impediment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Turntable assemblies are used in the prior art to display goods (like glasses, watches, etc.) in show windows or to displaceably support dishes on a table during meals. Prior art motor-driven turntables are invariably driven to rotate continuously. Often, however, such continuous rotation presents significant obstacles to convenient utilization. When it becomes necessary, for instance, to remove or replace the goods or dishes on the turning plate, the user must do so awkwardly while the turning plate is in motion, or else either manually restrain the power-driven motion during the removal/replacement or power down the motor altogether. None of these options is particularly desirable with prior art turntables. Temporarily restraining the turning plate, which many users are apt to do, disturbs the often intricately coupled parts of a typical drive assembly. Moreover, stopping the turning plate while the motor remains engaged thereto causes the generation of a substantial frictional force between the motor and the turning plate. If the magnitude of that frictional force attains a sufficient level, damage to the motor and various interacting parts of the drive assembly eventually occur. At best, wear and tear on the motor and those parts is accelerated, and the service life of the turntable is shortened.
Cutting off the power source of the motor each time a good or dish on the turn plate is to be removed or replaced is typically quite inconvenient and burdensome. Nevertheless, doing so still does not remove the inconveniences arising from the fact that the stopped turning plate remains engaged to the stopped drive wheel of the motor. Thus, the user cannot manually rotate the turning plate to facilitate his or her removal/replacement task.